Tag: Film

Pioneering movie star Sidney Poitier dies at 94

Sidney Poitier, Hollywood’s first major Black movie star and the first Black man to win the best actor Oscar, has died at 94, prompting an outpouring of grief from the entertainment industry and beyond. Stars including Denzel Washington along with current and past US presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama led emotional tributes as news broke Friday of the death of the celebrated thespian. “He was a gentle man and opened doors for all of […]

‘Spider-Man’ stays strong, again topping N.America box office

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — “Spider-Man: No Way Home” again dominated in North American theaters with an estimated $52.7 million weekend take, while topping the $600 million mark domestically in its third week out, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said Sunday. The strong results for Sony’s superhero sequel — last weekend it surpassed the $1 billion mark globally — have breathed welcome life into the movie industry as it battles to recover from the Covid-19 […]

‘Dallas Buyers Club’ director Jean-Marc Vallee dies at 58

by Michel COMTE Agence France-Presse MONTREAL, Canada (AFP) – Award-winning Canadian filmmaker Jean-Marc Vallee has died at age 58, his publicist announced, shocking the industry and admirers who hailed him on Monday as a creative force. Vallee took on compelling projects in multiple genres, from his work on “Dallas Buyers Club,” an unflinching look at the AIDS crisis, to the small-screen HBO adaptation of “Big Little Lies,” and was widely acknowledged as an exceptional talent. […]

‘Spider-Man’ surpasses $1 bn globally, holds N.America box office top spot

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) – The hit new “Spider-Man” became the first billion-dollar-grossing film of the pandemic era over the Christmas weekend, reaching the milestone while holding firmly to the North American box office top spot, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said Sunday. “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” British star Tom Holland’s third solo outing in the wildly popular role, has grossed $467.3 million in North America and $587 million internationally, raking in more than $1 […]

‘Rust’ shooting: assistant director previously sacked over gun safety

by Huw GRIFFITH LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — The assistant director who handed Alec Baldwin the loaded weapon that killed a cinematographer had been sacked from a previous production for gun safety violations, the company said Monday. The news came as it was reported that crew members had used that same weapon for live-ammunition target practice on the day Halyna Hutchins died. Hutchins was killed Thursday on the set of low-budget Western “Rust” when […]

‘Friends’ actor James Michael Tyler dies

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Actor James Michael Tyler who played coffee shop manager Gunther on the hit sitcom “Friends” died Sunday at age 59, US media reported. Tyler died at his home in Los Angeles after battling prostate cancer that he was first diagnosed with in 2018, according to a representative. “The world knew him as Gunther (the seventh ‘Friend’), from the hit series Friends, but Michael’s loved ones knew him as an […]

Russian film crew says shooting in space a ‘huge challenge’

by Anna SMOLCHENKO MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — Their movie props floated around and they used Velcro to keep objects in place but Russia’s first film crew in space said they were delighted with the result and had “shot everything we planned”. Yulia Peresild, one of Russia’s most glamorous actresses, and film director Klim Shipenko returned to Earth on Sunday after spending 12 days on the International Space Station (ISS) shooting the first movie in orbit […]

‘Squid Game’ becomes Netflix’s biggest-ever launch hit

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Dystopian South Korean drama “Squid Game” has become Netflix’s most popular series launch ever, drawing 111 million fans since its debut less than four weeks ago, the streaming service said Tuesday. The unprecedented global viral hit imagines a macabre world in which marginalized people are pitted against one another in traditional children’s games. While the victor can earn millions in cash, losing players are killed. Spreading around the world […]

Olivia Colman wins best drama actress Emmy for ‘The Crown’

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Olivia Colman on Sunday won the Emmy for best actress in a drama series for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in British royals drama “The Crown.” Colman — who bested a crowded field that also included her co-star Emma Corrin — described the win as “a lovely end to the most extraordinary journey with this lovely family.” © Agence France-Presse

Josh O’Connor wins best drama actor Emmy for ‘The Crown’

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Josh O’Connor scooped the best actor Emmy for his portrayal of Prince Charles in the hit British royal drama “The Crown” in Los Angeles on Sunday. “Making ‘The Crown’ has been the most rewarding two years of my life,” O’Connor said as he accepted the award. © Agence France-Presse

‘Shang-Chi,’ with an Asian lead, sets a N.America box office record

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — The North American box office got a big boost as Disney’s new “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” featuring Marvel’s first leading Asian superhero, scored an unexpectedly strong $75.4 million opening, industry observer Exhibitor Relations said Tuesday. That figure, for the Friday-through-Sunday period, was a Labor Day weekend record, the Hollywood Reporter said, and the film took in an additional $19.3 million on Monday. “This is a […]

7-time Emmy winner Ed Asner dies age 91

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US television actor Ed Asner, winner of a record seven Emmy awards, has died at age 91, his family said Sunday. “We are sorry to say that our beloved patriarch passed away this morning, peacefully. Words cannot express the sadness we feel,” his family wrote on the actor’s Twitter account. “With a kiss on your head — Goodnight dad. We love you.” His publicist said Asner died of natural causes. […]